maintainer.cc mail forwarding

Many maintainers want a company-independent address for their kernel work, but do not want to manage a separate inbox. The maintainer.cc service provides a simple mail forwarding address in the form firstname.lastname@maintainer.cc that delivers to an existing mailbox of your choice.

This is a third address option offered to kernel maintainers, alongside the two described in Recommended email hosting options:

Compared to a kernel.org account, maintainer.cc is purely an email service: it does not include ssh access to git repositories, which many maintainers do not need or want. It also does not require you to go through the PGP key cross-signing process. Compared to a linux.dev account, you continue to use your existing mailbox instead of managing a new one.

Important

If you are employed to work on the kernel, check with your employer before using a maintainer.cc address for your work. Some organizations have policies that restrict using a third-party domain for work-related correspondence, and you are responsible for making sure that your use of the address complies with them.

Who qualifies for an address

Anyone listed in the MAINTAINERS file as a M: (maintainer) or R: (reviewer) qualifies for a maintainer.cc address. The qualification rules are similar to those used for linux.dev accounts; see linux.dev mailbox hosting for the full details.

How to apply

To request an account, send an email to helpdesk@kernel.org using the following template:

Subject: firstname.lastname@maintainer.cc account request

Full name: [Firstname Lastname]
Forwarding address: [foo@example.org]

Sending outgoing mail

You can also send outgoing mail from your maintainer.cc address by configuring your mail client to use the SMTP server below. The exact steps vary between clients, but the settings are the same. For example, in a webmail provider such as Gmail you would add the address under a “Send mail as” setting; in a desktop client you would add it as an outgoing (SMTP) account.

Use the following SMTP server details:

  • SMTP server: smtp.forwardemail.net

  • Port: 465

  • Connection security: SSL/TLS

  • Username: your full maintainer.cc email address

  • Password: the password you received when your account was created

After adding the address, your client will usually send a verification message to confirm that you control it.